Shipping case



p 6= 9 F. KELLY 2,054,982

SHIPPING CASE Filed Dec. '5 1934 r V X 26 Jiwenzm Patented Sept. '22,1936 UNITED smras PATENTTOFFIQE 2,054,982 SHIPPING CASE Byron F. Kelly,Worcester, Mass. Application December 5, 1934, Serial No. 756,101

Claims. (01.217 40) This invention relates to an improvement in shippingcases and more particularly to shipping cases having a plurality ofcompartments adapted to receive bottles or other frangible articles and*5 to hold them in predetermined position to pre- More specifically thisinvention is adapted for use in shipping boxes or carriers for milkbotties to prevent the bottles from clanking or rattling and hold themupright in the carrier while the carrier is in motion.

These and other objects will appear from 2.

0 consideration of the following description of this invention and ofthe drawing which forms a part thereof and in which Fig. 1 is a planview of a shipping box embodying this invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation of a portion of the box shown on anenlarged scale;

Fig. 3 is a plan view broken in part, of a divider for the box;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view ofone of the blocks forming bufiers andadapted to be mounted in the dividers; and

Fig. 5 is aperspective view of a portion of a divider and block taken insection along the line 5-5 in Fig. 2. r

This invention is illustrated as applied to 'a shipping box or carrierfor milk bottles and will be so described. It will be understood howeverthat the invention is not so limited and is applicable to shipping boxesof other kinds and adapted for other uses.

' The carrier 20 comprises end and side walls 2| and 22 respectivelyconnected by a plurality of dividers 23 and. supports 24. The dividers23 are, as shown in Fig. 2 arranged at two levels and form with thewalls of the carriera plurality of compartments 25 substantially of thesame dimensions. Each compartment is adapted to receive a milk bottlewhich rests upon the supports 24, here shown as rods which preferablyare covered with tubing of rubber or similar material.

The dividers 23 are metal strips which originally are of the form shownin Fig. 3 having a plurality of bowed portions 26 in each of which are apair of parallel slots 21 arranged at opposite sidesof and equidistantfrom the longitudinal center line of the strip. The portions 26are separated by more restricted portions 28 each of which has an opening 29therein.

Carried by the dividers 23 are a plurality of 5 buffer blocks 30 ofrubber or similar material. Each block 30 has on two opposite facesflanges 3i (see Fig. 4). Theportions 26 are bent into a conformation Ushapedin cross section in which i is inserted a block 38 as shown inFig. 5, the sides 1-1) of the block 30 projecting through the slots 21and the flanges 3| being enclosed between the legs of the portion 26.

The dividers 23 are then assembled to form with the carrier walls thesides of the compart- 15 merits 25. The ends of the dividers normallyextend to the walls of the carrier and are secured in position in anysuitable manner. Thus in the present embodiment the ends of the dividersare inserted between the boards forming the walls 20 and-secured theretoby double ended nails 35 which pass through the end openings 29. Theportions 28 overlap at the corners of the compartments with the openings29 in register to permit securement thereto of the ends of the posts 36'25 which thus connect the two levels at the intersections of thedividers.

The sides of the compartments defined by the dividers 23 thus carry thebuffer blocks 30 substantially midway between the corners. The re- 30maining sides of the compartments are formed by the-walls of thecarrier. The bottles in certain of the compartments bear against thebuffer blocks 30 and in others against the buffer blocks and the wallsofthe carrier. They are thus held 35 fromany contact with the metal of thedividers. Moreover the blocks being of rubber or similar materialyieldably hold the bottles in place. The bottles rest upon the rubbercovering of the divider rods 24 and thus any danger of rattling or 0clanking when the carrier is in motion is prevented.

Heretofore attempts have been made to make carriers of this type byusing rods as dividers and covering the middle portions at each compart-45 ment with rubber tubing. It, however, has been found difficult tosecure the tubing in place. Moreover these carriers are always washedwith hot water and the heat thereof causes the tubing to expand thusallowing moisture to enter so that 50 the carriers are not entirelysanitary. Carriers embodying the present invention are not subject tothese diinculties. The buffer blocks are within and not around thedividers and hence the expansion due to the heat of the washing Watercauses While one embodiment of this invention has been shown anddescribed it will be understood that I am not limited thereto and thatother embodiments thereof may be made without departing from the spiritand scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

I claim:

I. In a shipping box having a plurality of articlereceiving'compartments the sides of which are formed by dividers or bythe walls of the box, means for holding the articles in the compartmentcomprising buffer blocks carried by the dividers one in the middle ofeach side of the compartment so formed, the portions of said dividers atwhich the blocks are carried being U shaped in cross section.

2. In a shipping box having a. plurality of article receivingcompartments the sides of which are formed by dividers or by the wallsof the box, means for holding thearticles in the compartment comprisingbuffer blocks carried by the dividers one in the middle of each side ofthe compartment so formed, the portions of said dividers at which theblocks are carried being U shaped in cross section with slots in thelegs thereof, portions of said blocks projecting through the slotsbeyond the outer surfaces of the legs whereby the blocks only contactwith the articles.

3. In a shipping box having a plurality of article receivingcompartments the sides of which are formed by dividers or by the wallsof the box, means for holding the articles in the compartment comprisingbuffer blocks carried by the dividers one in the middle of each side ofthe compartment so formed, each block having flanges on opposite sidesthereof, the portions of said dividers at which the blocks are carriedbeing U shaped in cross section with slots in the legs thereof, portionsof said blocks projecting through the slots beyond the outer surfaces ofthe legs and the flanges being enclosed between said legs.

4. A bottle carrier having a plurality of compartments each adapted toreceive a bottle, including dividers, which with the walls of thecarrier form the sides of the compartments and buffer blocks carried bythe, dividers and projecting into the compartments from the middles ofthe sides formed by the dividers, the portions of said dividers at whichthe blocks are carried being U shaped in cross section with slots in thelegs thereof and portions of said blocks projecting through the slotsbeyond the outer surfaces of the legs whereby the blocks alone contactwith the bottles at the divider sides of the compartments.

5. In a bottle carrier having a plurality of compartments each adaptedto receive a bottle a divider having separated portions U shaped incross-section and buffer blocks carried by such portions.

6. In a bottle carrier having a plurality of compartments each adaptedto receive a bottle a divider having separated portions U shaped incross-section and bufier blocks at such portions inserted in the U andprojecting outwardly therefrom.

'7. In a bottle carrier'having a plurality of compartments each adaptedto receive a bottle ,a divider having separated portions U shaped incross-section and having a slot in each leg thereof and buffer blocks atsuch portions inserted in the U portions of said blocks projectingthrough said slots beyond the outer surface of the legs.

8. A shipping box having a plurality of compartments the sides of whichare formed by the walls of the box or by dividers, said dividers beingof formed metal, fiat at their intersections at the corners of thecompartment and U shaped in cross section midway between such corners toprovide downwardly open pockets, and. buffer blocks carried in saidpockets and projecting laterally therefrom into contact with thearticles carried in thecompartments.

9. A shipping box having a plurality of compartments the sides of whichare formed by the walls of the box or by dividers, said dividers beingof formed metal, flat at their'intersections at the corners of thecompartment and U-shaped in cross section midway between such corners toprovide downwardly open pockets, the walls whereof having slots thereinand buffer blocks carried in saidpockets and projecting through saidslots into said'compartments.

10. A shipping box having a plurality of come partments the sides ofwhich are, formed by the walls of the box or by dividers, said dividershaving, in the middle of each side, openpockets, the mouths of which aredownward, the walls of said pockets having slots therein and bufferblocks carried in said pockets and projectingfrom said slots intocontact with the articles carried in the v compartments.

' BYRON F. KELLY.

